Satisfaction with Work

8.3 / 10

(based on
27 ratings in 2015)

2015

"I have a lot of client interaction in my current seat (third seat trainee). In my first seat this was less so, but I think the longer you've been at the firm the more trusting they are with clients. I also got to undertake a client secondment in my second seat, and I found this to be incomparable experience for client relations."

Second year trainee, London

"With smaller transactions you can take on a lot of responsibility which means much more direct client contact, but even with larger deals you are given drafting opportunities and involvement at higher levels where possible."

First year trainee, London

"I am given a suitable level of responsibility and my work is frequently passed directly to clients. I have been given the opportunity to run my own transactions on a couple of occasions."

Second year trainee, London

"Client interaction in my role has been significant, including attending all parties' meetings with investment bankers and CEOs, as well as routine client meetings."

First year trainee, London

"I have a fair amount of client interaction at meetings, and day-to-day my role includes drafting, transaction management, research and taking notes in meetings."

Second year trainee, London

"I have a good deal of client contact. Day-to-day I email clients, attend client meetings and communicate directly with them on the phone."

First year trainee, London

"While my face-to-face client interaction is minimal due to the international nature of work, I have had plenty of email contact. Day-to-day responsibilities include drafting documents, proofreading, emailing clients and industry research."

First year trainee, London

"I have a lot of client interaction day-to-day: I email clients, attend meetings at their offices and I have also discussed matters with clients directly."

First year trainee, London

"I've had a lot of client interaction during my time at the firm: my supervisors have been keen to expose me to them in order to improve the quality of my training. As I progressed through my seats I attained a greater level of responsibility, ending up running certain elements of transactions like a qualified associate would."

First year trainee, London

2014

"As expected for a first seat trainee, there are the usual admin roles. I have been looking after original documents executed by the parties and drafting emails to various parties in the transaction in preparation for signing, for example, security documents. Whilst I have not had much client interaction, I do feel as though I am part of the transaction when assisting the associate."

First year trainee, London

"Client contact, responsibilities and general role can really vary between seats. In London I had very little face-to-face client interaction due to the size of the team and nature of the work I was doing, but have already experienced some after being in Tokyo for only a week. Responsibility can vary depending on who is giving you the work, how much they know and trust your ability, how busy they are, etc. In general levels of responsibility are fairly low but grow as a seat goes on."

First year trainee, Tokyo

"Client interaction varies from team to team, as do day-to-day responsibilities. Trainees are given the opportunity to take a client secondment, which has been a great experience for me. As trainees progress through their training contract, client exposure increases and day-to-day responsibilities grow more significant and interesting. You are generally given more responsibility where you show you can handle it."

"Over the course of my seats, the amount of responsibility I have had has averaged out - you get more client contact in some departments than others, but in general people seem to trust you to do your job. There is a fair amount of administration, but you also get to do some more interesting work like drafting and negotiation."

Second year trainee, Sydney

"I have only been here for a short time but I email clients directly and receive and deal with their comments. We sit in on conference calls and meetings and are always introduced as a colleague, not a trainee."

First year trainee, London

"As a first seater it’s early days to comment. But work so far has been engaging, partners endeavour to ensure you aren't just a 'spare part'. Trainees further down the line have commented that client interaction is very high and if you're good you will find yourself negotiating with the other side and drafting from scratch."

First year trainee, London

2013

"My responsibilities are now (as a fifth seater) as a Junior Associate. I liaise directly with clients and receive instructions directly, which I talk through with the Partner and Associates before beginning advices/research. In my last seat I had overall responsibility for instructions to begin legal proceedings for a very large global commodities trader in Dubai - I drafted the Statement of Claim for this, and saw the process through to filing back in London."

Second year trainee, London

"Given a high level of responsibility in the second year of the training contract, including client contact. Good quality work."

Second year trainee, London

"I've got to do much more substantive legal work than I thought I would get to do. Direct client interaction is usually low level, but work is intellectually challenging."

First year trainee, London

"A wide range of responsibilities from the most mundane administrative tasks to interesting drafting and working directly with clients."

First year trainee, Paris

"I have been given quite a lot of responsibility and there is the opportunity to be given responsibility from the outset if you work hard. The quality of the work has been good and there is the chance to meet clients on occasion, along with frequent chances to join conference calls with clients, which really adds to the work."

First year trainee, London

"The type and quality of work varies depending on the team but I am generally busy most of the day drafting documents, proofreading, organising electronic files and carrying out research. Most client interaction is via email but there are opportunities to meet face-to-face."

Second year trainee, London

"I really enjoy coming into work and so far I have completed a secondment to our Paris office to practise aviation finance and a client secondment within the energy sector. Such secondments have given me excellent client contact, (including dinners and networking events), and have allowed me to gain experience in various areas."

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